


Psychogenic Fever

by ineedmysickfix



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Fever, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sasha gets the love and attention she deserves, Sickfic, The Magnus Archives Season 1, headache
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 10:27:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27969047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineedmysickfix/pseuds/ineedmysickfix
Summary: A difficult follow up leaves Sasha with a stressed induced fever at work. A simple break and a nap should help clear it away, right?
Relationships: Martin Blackwood & Sasha James & Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist & Tim Stoker, Sasha James/Tim Stoker (implied)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 41





	Psychogenic Fever

“Ugh, I can _not_ hack into these police servers for the life of me! It’s like they tightened up their security or something, it’s ridiculous!” Sasha groans as she runs her hands through her hair.

“Um, yeah. Probably ‘cause they’re, you know, the police?” Tim quips from his desk. “Maybe you should call it quits, this follow up is just leading us to more and more dead ends.”

Tim’s right, which is annoying. They’ve been working on this follow up on and off for almost two weeks now but they haven’t been able to make any progress whatsoever. Realistically they should stop, but this is a _real_ statement. One that got corrupted the second Jon had tried to record it digitally and had to be recorded on tape. They all know that only _real_ statements do that, but they all had their own reasons for not admitting the truth. So now here they are: trying to get as much info on this case as they could. But Sasha’s been trying to hack into the Police Department’s records for hours and now she’s getting annoyed. 

“No, I swear I can get it. Just need to work a bit longer on this.” Sasha says, raising a hand up from her keyboard to rub at her temple. Great, now she was starting to get a headache on top of all this. Maybe she could hold out for a couple more hours, that should be long enough to make some kind of progress. A sudden tickle in her nose causes her to duck her face into her elbow and let out a series of quiet sneezes. And now her allergies are acting up. She’ll have to get some antihistamines on the way home.

“Bless you, Sasha.” Looking up, she’s met with Martin sporting a soft, sympathetic smile and a steaming mug of tea. Sasha uses her free hand to take the mug, wanting something to help clear her sinuses. “You should really take a break soon. You’ve been at this for three hours now and I don’t think staring at a screen for that long without stopping is good for you.”

Sasha freezes and glances at the time in the corner of her screen. “Oh wow. Sorry, I didn’t realize how long I’ve been working. Yeah, you’re right. It’s time for a well deserved break.” But the second she stops typing, her hands immediately start shaking. The abrupt shivers travel up her arms and travel up and throughout her body. “Hey, um, d-does it seem cold in here to you two? I swear it got cold in here all of a sudden.”

“Um, no? It still feels fine to me,” Tim stands up and walks over to Sasha’s desk. He frowns at her quivering form and takes his jacket off, draping it over her shoulders. The still warm jacket helps alleviate her shivering but isn’t able to touch the chill that sits just below her skin. Tim’s hand briefly brushes against Sasha’s cheek and he winces. “You okay, Sash? You’re looking pretty rough.” He leans down and places a gentle kiss against her forehead which makes Sasha blush and bat him away, “And you feel warm. I think you might have a fever.”

Sasha groans and pulls the jacket tighter around herself. “Ugh, no. Sorry, I get these stupid headaches and fevers when I get really _really_ stressed.” She hunches over and coughs lightly into her elbow, careful to not cough onto Tim’s jacket. The pain in her head intensifies from a dull throbbing to a more prominent aching behind her eye. “I swear this follow up case is gonna be the death of me,” she grumbles to herself before promptly sneezing.

“Hey, I’ve seen you get stressed back in research but it never got this bad. Why am I just learning about this now?” Tim asks, concerned laced in his voice. “And bless you by the way.”

“It hasn’t happened in a while so I thought I grew out of it.” Which was a half truth. Back in research, the headaches and fevers would happen after hours and Sasha would have to come up with excuses to keep Tim or anyone else from worrying about her. She sighs and looks up at Tim and Martin’s distressed faces. “Don’t worry, it normally doesn’t get too bad if I go and lay down for a while.”

“Well, you should go lay down then.” Martin chimes in. “You can go to the break room and rest, I’ll go and let Jon know what’s happening.” He gives a reassuring smile before walking over to Jon’s office. Leave it to Martin to take responsibility the second Sasha’s out of commission.

“Oh, here,” Tim says striding over to his desk and rummaging around in one of the drawers, “Aha! I have some paracetamol if that helps.” He tosses the bottle over to Sasha who gratefully takes it with the tea Martin had given her. If this case wasn’t going to kill her, Tim and Martin’s kindness and fussing will probably get the job done. 

After double checking her work again and booting her laptop down, Sasha is led over to the archive’s small break room and sits on the couch. It’s shabby and old but it’s clean enough and has been the best spot for naps in the office. Even Jon is known to sleep on it from time to time. At some point someone, most likely Martin, brought in a few fluffy throw blankets that Tim wraps around Sasha’s shoulders. The fever paired with the amount of layers currently on her causes Sasha’s blush to deepen. “Thanks, Tim.” she yawns and lays down onto the couch, “Wake me up in an hour or so. Should give me enough time to sleep this headache off.”

“Absolutely no promises, Sash.” Tim jests as he adjusts the blankets over Sasha. “Sweet dreams.” The sounds of shuffling accompanied by the flick of the lights turning off are the last things Sasha registers before sleep overcomes her.

Her dreams do not turn out sweet. There are long neverending corridors and concrete tunnels with walls that constantly shift and change. Sasha full on sprints for what feels like hours, never able to find the same path twice. Doors and passages open and close at random, showing flashes of bone chilling scenes; A person with unreal proportions and hands that end in sharp points waves at her from behind a closing door, a wave of wriggling white creatures tempt closer and closer before being sealed off behind a concrete wall, someone, possibly herself….but not quite, is sitting at her desk typing on her laptop, doing her job, living her life.

There are screams of despair, of pain, of fear, of grief that fill Sasha’s head. The blood rushing in her ears blocks it for the most part but when she focuses she can recognize them: Tim, Jon, and Martin. _Her friends._ They sound frantic, far away. She isn’t sure why she’s running in the first place but it must be to find them, to _help_ them. With every corner she rounds the voices grow softer, ‘ _....’s getting worse, I think her fever may have gone up…._ ’ and softer, ‘ _......she was coughing earlier so maybe she’s ill…._ ’ and the tone changes from fear to concern, ‘ _....wait, should we wake..….I think she’s having a nightmare…._ ’ Her feet pound against the cold, hard floor, faster than she ever thought possible. She’s almost there, she can feel it, she’s so close. But a sudden crack in the floor trips up Sasha and jolts her awake. 

“Hey, hey, hey. Take it easy, Sasha. It’s okay, you’re okay.” Sasha opens her eyes to Tim carefully brushing hair from her forehead. “You’re burning up, though. How are you feeling?” No words come out of her mouth when she tries to speak, only a harsh wheeze followed by a series of dry sounding coughs. Tim sighs as he helps her sit up. 

Sasha wants to ask what’s happening, check whether her friends are safe or not but suddenly a cool glass of water finds its way into Sasha’s grip and her attention shifts as she gulps it down like a lifeline. “Slow down, take small sips or you’ll get sick,” Sasha stops and catches her breath when someone takes the glass away. Jon, looking more haggard than usual, smiles tiredly and hands the glass back, “There we go. Don’t worry it isn’t going anywhere and there’s more if you need it.”

“Wha’s happening?” Sasha croaks. God, her throat is still killing her.

“What’s happening is that you’re ill and didn’t tell anybody.” Tim scolds playfully, but his voice is still laced with genuine concern.

Ill? Leaning against Tim, Sasha closes her eyes and tries to block out just how _awful_ she feels now that she’s awake. The ache in her head has just gotten worse, only one of her nostrils is deciding to function, and it feels like someone turned up the air conditioning…..this is probably more than allergies, isn’t it? “I-I didn’t realize I was sick. I thought it was just a headache. I wouldn’t have come in if I knew I was sick.” She quickly finishes her sentence to turn and sneeze, accidentally burying her face into Tim’s shoulder and prompting him to shout in surprise.

“Bless you!” Martin pipes up from where he’s making tea. “It was probably someone in artefact storage that got you sick. You had to go there recently for a follow up right? I heard that Sonja and a couple others were home with some flu bug.” The steaming mug of tea that Martin brings over is like a beacon of hope to Sasha as she takes it in her shaking hands. She holds it for a second, hoping it’ll help with the chills.

“Right,” Jon says as he looks over Sasha, “I think it’d be best if you went home early. I’d rather you not stay here while you’re this ill.”

“No, no. -sniff- I’m feeling better, I swear!” _The stupid police servers aren’t going to hack themselves._ Sasha thinks to herself. “I think I just needed a lie down. I can get back to work now.”

“Nope. There’s no way we’re letting you stay.” Sasha yelps when Tim picks her up bridal style, bringing the various blankets along with her. “I am going to take you home and nurse you back to health or my name isn’t Timothy ‘Hot Stuff’ Stoker. Can one of you grab her things so we can get going?”

“I got it.” Martin answers, “Be back in a sec! Tim, do you want me to get your things too?” 

“Yes please. Thanks, Marto! Now boss man-”

“I shouldn’t be expecting you back here when once you leave.” Jon finishes Tim’s sentence and looks at the two fondly before the mask of professionalism takes over, “I’m expecting you’ll be wanting tomorrow off too?”

“You know me so well, boss.” Tim says warmly, a huge goofy smile plastered on his face. Sasha groans from where she’s being held and buries her face into a blanket, muttering about Tim and Jon conspiring against her. She could take care of herself, she’s an adult...Though it’s sweet of Tim to take time off to help Sasha fight off this illness.

“Here we are!” Martin announces, triumphantly holding up Sasha and Tim’s bags. “Do you two want a ride home? I drove here this morning and I doubt you’ll want to take the tube.”

“Martin ‘Kutie Pie’ Blackwood you are a saint.” Tim practically beams at Martin’s offer.

_Was Tim seriously thinking about carrying me all the way to my flat?_ The blanket cocoon in Tim’s arms shifts until Sasha’s face pops out, “If it’s no trouble,” Sasha ducks her face into the blanket again and lets out a few coughs, “That’d be great, Martin. Thanks.”

“It’s no problem at all, I don’t mind. Um, Jon?” The man in question bristles but turns his gaze up to Martin. “It’s almost time to leave, do you want a ride too?” Martin surprises everyone at his offer, including himself if his blush is anything to go by. 

“Oh, well,” Jon steals a glance at his wrist watch and scrunches his eyebrows. The room is silent apart from the occasional sniffle from Sasha until Jon sighs. “It’s almost 5 so might as well. Thank you, Martin.”

“Woah! Jonathan ‘Human Grumpy Cat’ Sims leaving work early? You sure you’re not ill too, boss?”

“What is it with you and nicknames today?” Sasha asks. “Also you can put me down now, Tim, I’m sick but I can still walk.”

“Nonsense! Now come on, gang, let’s get a move on.” Tim announces as he turns to exit the break room, leaving Jon and Martin awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

“W-wait! Jon and I still need to get our things!” Martin calls out, following behind.

\----------------------------

After gathering their things and locking the archives up, Sasha finds herself cuddled up next to Tim in the back of Martin’s car. Jon opts for the front seat, saying something about Sasha and Tim sitting next to each other before fiddling with his phone. Martin chuckles quietly and adjusts the radio’s volume while keeping his eyes on the road. And despite being Sasha’s self proclaimed caretaker, Tim falls asleep the second after he gives Martin his address. 

The car ride is more or less comfortably quiet. Jon grumbles about emailing Elias about leaving early as he types away at his phone. The radio plays on and is accompanied by Martin’s soft, slightly out of tune humming. But it’s all mostly drowned out by Tim’s snores. Sasha smiles as she rests her head on top of Tim’s and closes her eyes. She may be feeling completely _awful_ right now, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

**Author's Note:**

> I just really miss og Sasha and want more content with her and the guys during the simple times before everything got spooky ToT  
> Let me know what you think with comments and kudos! <3


End file.
